Spike puller



' Nov. 7, 1944. 7 M. B. ALLEY SPIKE FULLER Filed Feb. 5, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR I MAR VIN B- ALLEY BY AFQR J M. B. ALLEY Nov. 7, 1944.

SPIKE FULLER Filed Feb. 5, 1944 2 Shedts-Sheet 2 INVENTOR j MARVINB AL LEY BY v A 'fiEY Patented Nov. 7, 1944 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,362,334 SPIKE PULLER Marvin B. Alley, Birmingham, Ala. Application February 5, 1944, Serial No. 521,188

9- Claims.

I'his invention relates to railroad track spike pullers and has for its object to provide a tool of the character designated which shall be operable from one side of a rail to pull spikes on both sides and which shall include means to afford a compound leverage for the initial or starting pull on a spike.

, A further object of my invention is to provide a spike puller which shall be operable to provide a compound pulling leverage in starting to pull a spike and a more rapid, direct leverage after the spike is started.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a railroad spike puller which shall be operable from one side of a rail to pull spikes on both sides thereof and which shall include means to adjust the device to operate with rails of different sizes.

As is well known in the art to which my invention relates, the tool usually employed for pulling railroad spikes is the ordinaryclaw bar. Such a tool provides an initial powerful leverage for starting a spike, but once the spike is started, an

- additional fulcrum member must be provided in order to complete the pulling action. Also, the claw bar is ata disadvantage in pulling'spike-s from railslocated in tunnels or adjacent to any structure having a relative close clearance with respect to the rails. In accordance with my invention, I provide a spike "puller which embodies 30 a separate pulling head operable from either side of a rail and which includes compound lever means for the initial or starting pull on the spike, with a, direct leverage pull after the spike has been started.

A device embodying features of my invention is illustratedin the accompanying drawings forming a part of this applicatiomin which;

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation showing my improved spike puller in position to pull a railroad spike from the side of the rail oppositeithe operator;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the device in position to pull a spike from the same side of the rail as the operator;

.Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the initial or starting pull on a spike;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view looking in' the direction of the arrows IV-IV in Fig. 1, with the rail and spike indicated in dotted lines and showing the manner in which the spike is engaged by the pulling elements;

Figs. 5 and 6 are a side elevation, and an end view, respectively, of one of the detachable claws.

or pulling elements drawn to an enlarged scale;

Fig. '7 is a side elevational view of a liner for varying the spacing of the pulling elements also drawnlto an enlarged scalerand Figs-8 and 9 are side and front views, respectively, of the pulling head separate from the other parts. i

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of my invention, I show in Figsl to 4 inclusive a railroad rail l0 held in place by spikes II and I2 driven into a cross tie 83. My improved spike pulling device is shown in position to pull the spike l2, operating from the side of the rail l0 opposite the spike. It comprises a pulling head M which is generally 0 shaped in sideelevation and comprises spike engagingelements', or claw members, "5 and I1, detachably secured to the lower end thereof and a lever arm [8 rising upwardly and inclined to overhang the lower end of the pulling head. The upper end of the lever arm I8 is slotted at H! (see Fig. 9).

At the lower end of the pulling head I4 is 3, lug 21 having spaced holes 22 and 23 therein to which are connected a pair of links 24 and 26 by means of a bolt 27. The upper ends of the links 24 and 26 are connected to the lower end of a lever 28 which is provided with an offset member 29 at its lower end having spaced holes 30 and 3| therein for receiving a bolt 32. The lever 28 as shown is relatively short and may be extended to any desiredlength by attaching a piece of pipe as is well understood. By means .of the spaced holes in the lug. 2| and in the lever, I am enabled to adjust the apparatus for operation with different size rails. The spike engaging, or claw, elements l6 and I! are preferably made detachable and made of hardened steel so that they may be renewed when damaged or worn. They are adjustable laterally. with respect to each other by means of liners 33 (see Fig. 7) which further adapts the apparatus for use with spikes of diflerent sizes.

An important feature of my invention resides in the provision of a heel or fulcrum member 34 on the pulling head 14 closely adjacent the claws 1 or spike engaging elements l6 and I 1. When shown. In this position,

It will be seen that when the lever 28 is movedv in the direction shown by the arrow, the surface 36 first co-acts with. the upper end of the lever;-

arm l8 to rock the pulling head l4 about its fulcrum 34 to the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. This provides the powerful necessary compound leverage for starting the spike. With a further downward movement of the lever 28, the spike I2 is pulled by the direct action of the lever 28 resting on the rail ID as a fulcrum With exceptionally long spikes, it may be necessary to have a wider range of movement of the pulling head l4 and this is provided for by means of a protuberance 3'l'on the back of the lever 28 which may be placed on the rail Ill after the spike l2 has been started so that it may be raised higher,

by downward movement of the lever 28.

When pulling the spike II from the same side" of the rail as the operator, the pulling head I4 is placed in the position shown in Fig. 2 with the claws or pulling elements l6 and I1 engaged with the spike l I and with the lever 28 in the position shown, that is to say, approaching the vertical. In this position, the flat surface 38 on top of the offset portion 29 of the lever 28 is engaged with the upper end of the lever arm l8 on the pulling head, and the opposite side of the portion 29 is bearing against the rail Ill. As the lever 23 is moved in the direction shown by thearrow in Fig. 2, the offset portion 29 of the lever 28 coacting between the rail 10 and the upper end of the pulling head exerts a powerful force against the upper end of the lever arm l8 to rock the pulling head about its fulcrum 34 and provide the necessary powerful initial starting pull on the spike II. I As the lever 28 is moved further, it enters the slots I9 in the upper end of the lever arm l8 and as the lever 28 ismoved downwards the pulling head I4 is rocked further in the direction shown until its rear curved surface 39 engages the tie-l3 and acts as a fulcrum for the more rapid extraction of the spike I I.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have devised an improved railroad spike puller which i sturdy, simple of construction and operation, one which is adapted to operate from one side of a rail in pulling spikes from both sides thereof, and one which is adapted to exert a powerful initial pulling force in extracting a spike.

My invention is especially important for use in coal mines where the tracks are often laid in close proximity to the walls of tunnels and drifts. Also where electric motive power is employed, the bare wires for conveying the electric current are usually placed along one side of the tunnels, making ,it extremely dangerous for a workman to employ l. A tool of the-character described comprising a generally 0 shaped pulling head, spike engaging claws at the lower end of the pulling head; the

upper end of the pulling head overhanging the claws, and a lever operatively connected to the lower end of the pullingv head and adapted to take a bearing against the upper end of the pulling head and rock it about its lower end to effect an initial pull on a spike.

-2. In a spike puller, a pulling head including adjacent thereto, a lever arm extending upwardly from the spike engaging means, and a relatively long lever flexibly connected to the pulling head and having a projection adapted to bear against the lever arm and move the pulling head about its fulcrum member in starting to pull a spike.

3. In a tool for pulling spikes holding a railroad rail, a pulling head including spike engaging means, a fulcrum member closely adjacent thereto, a lever arm extending upwardly and inclined to overhang the spike engaging means, a relatively long lever flexibly connected to the pulling head and adapted to take a purchase on the rail as a fulcrum in pulling a spike, a projection on spike engaging means, a fulcrum member closely 76 the relatively long lever adapted to bear against the upper end of the lever arm on the pulling head as the long lever is moved about its fulcrum and move the pulling head about its fulcrum member when starting to pull a spike.

4. In a tool for pulling spikes holding a railroad rail, a pulling head having spike engaging claws on the lower end thereof and inclined upwardlytoward the rail, a relatively long lever adapted to bear on the rail as a fulcrum and having a projection adapted to bear against the upper end of the pulling head, and a link connecting the lon lever to the lower end of the pulling head.

5. A tool as defined in claim 4 in which the spike engaging means is comprised of detachable members adjustable as to distance apart.

6. A tool as defined in claim 4'in which the length of the link is adjustable to accommodate engaging claws, and link means flexibly connectw ing the lever to the pulling head.

8. In a tool for pulling spikes holding a railroad rail, a pulling head having spike engaging claws on the lower end thereof and inclined upwardly so that its upper end overhangs the spike engaging claws, a lever adapted to coact between the upper end of the pulling head and the rail and move the upper endof the pulling head in a direction away from the rail, a fulcrum member on the pulling head closely adjacent-to the spike engag-' ing claws, link means flexibly connectin the lever to the pulling head, and av protuberance on the lower end of the leverfor engaging the rail and actingas a fulcrum a'ftera spike is started to complete the pulling thereof.

9. In a tool for pulling spikes holding a railroad rail, a pulling head having spike engaging claws on the lower end thereof and inclined upwardly so that its upper endoverhangs the spike engaging claws, a lever-adapted to coact' between the upper end of the pulling head and the rail and move the upper end of the pullinghead in a-direction away from the rail, a fulcrum member on the pulling head closely adjacent to the spike engaging claws, link means flexibly connecting the lever to the pulling head, and other fulcrum means more remote from the spike engaging claw for completing the started.

, MARVIN B. ALLEY.

pulling of aspike after it is 

